The complaint alleges Kia and Hyundai failed to equip their U.S. cars with anti-theft technology after a surge in thefts sparked by videos on TikTok and YouTube showing how to steal cars without keys.
The city of Chicago sued Kia and Hyundai on Thursday, alleging the South Korean automakers have fueled a “car theft crisis” by failing to install standard technology they knew was effective at deterring thieves.
The companies failed to use the anti-theft technology for years, leading to a spike in thefts that was driven by a viral trend showing just how easy it was to swipe their cars, according to the lawsuit filed in Cook County.
“The failure of Kia and Hyundai to install basic anti-theft prevention technology in these models is sheer negligence, and as a result, a citywide and nationwide crime spree around automobile theft has been unfolding right before our eyes,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement.
Vehicles manufactured by the two companies accounted for 41% of the city’s 21,425 thefts last year but made up just 7% of the cars on the road.
The Chicago Police Department has reported 19,062 vehicle thefts this year, up more than 100% from the same point last year. Kia and Hyundai models have led the way again, accounting for more than 50% of the vehicles swiped in certain months, the lawsuit states.
Thieves who target Kias and Hyundais are often teens and young adults “who steal cars to post videos of themselves recklessly joyriding or using the cars to commit other crimes,” according to the suit.
Chicago sues Kia, Hyundai over ‘car theft crisis’
The complaint alleges Kia and Hyundai failed to equip their U.S. cars with anti-theft technology after a surge in thefts sparked by videos on TikTok and YouTube showing how to steal cars without keys.
chicago.suntimes.com
Didn't think they could do worse than the last mayor, but this cat Brandon Lopez is the worst. Yeah, I just changed his name to Lopez for the way he handles the illegals. Everything he does is clownish.
